Childline is a 24-hour free emergency telephone help line service for children in difficult circumstances. It began its operations as a field action project of the TISS in Mumbai in 1996. Subsequently the project was up-scaled to other towns and districts in India under the aegis of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, GoI (since 2006, the project has been transferred to the Ministry of Women & Child Development, GoI). Due to the efforts of the Institute, Nagpur became the third city in the country to commence Childline 1098 operations in the year 1998 with the support of the Childline India Foundation and the Government of India.

The Institute has been functioning as the Nodal Organization for Nagpur Childline since its inception in 1998. Nagpur Childline is run by a network of voluntary organizations, with the help of trained and fulltime social workers. The Partner organizations are: Collaborating Organization: Varadaan Indian Association for Promotion of Adoption and Child Welfare; Support Organizations: BBSKBS and Yuva Jyoti – Indian Centre for Integrated Development. An advisory committee under the chairmanship of the District Collector functions as the apex body of Childline Nagpur. CHILDLINE (As of March 2017) rings in 412 cities across the nation. Nagpur Childline receive average 900 calls every year asking for protection from abuse, medical assistance, educational assistance etc. Other than receiving calls and rendering such help Nagpur Childline has supported children with various kind of activities like, enrolling neglected children from red light area in schools, conducting self-defence training to the girls from different communities, organizing awareness program in various community during Covid-19 about hygiene and physical distancing with distribution of mask, sanitizer and grocery kit, “Say no to Child Abuse” campaign, Health check-up camps, Bal Mela, training programmes on POCSO and JJAact etc.

Dr John Menachery, former Professor-Principal was Founder Director and presently Dr Keshav Walke, Officiating Principal is the Honorary Director of the Nodal Organization. Childline has helped a large number of street children in particular to overcome exploitative situations. The facility can be accessed by any one by dialing 1098, any time during day or night.

In view of the growing incidence of domestic violence against women, a novel concept of social work intervention through special cells for such women in distress was first experimented by TISS in Mumbai. Following the success of this experiment, similar cells were initiated in Nagpur in collaboration with the Nagpur Police Commissionerate. The institute took a lead in popularizing the concept and also set up one such centre, known as Family Counselling Centre (FCC), at Dhantoli Police Station on 15th December 1998. Dr Geetha Thachil (Associate Professor) functioned as the Honorary Director. In 2017 Nagpur City police have opened a special cell called “Bharosa Cell” for dealing with cases of domestic violence and violence against women. Therefore, in 2017 the FCC was relocated at “Bharosa Cell” and two counselors are rendering services in the “Bharosa Cell”. It is financially supported by the Central Social Welfare Board, New Delhi. The centre offers counseling and guidance to the victims as well as to the perpetrators of domestic violence with a view to negotiating a violent free family life for the clients. From the time of its inception in 1998 till February 2021, the total number of cases registered at Family Counselling Centre stood 3577. Nature of social work interventions by the FCC are Counseling and guidance, Legal guidance, Home visits, Emotional support, Police assistance, Referral services, Visit to other experts, Retrieval of Stridhan, Finalizing terms of mutual consent, Counseling for separation and divorce etc. Presently Associate Professor Dr Jyoti Niswade is looking after the project as Honorary Director.

The Institute initiated a new field action project called Community Action for Environment (CAFE) in the year 2010 with the following intent and purpose:

Aim:

❒ To Focus on Issues that has Impact on Environment.

❒ To sensitize the students on their physical surroundings/Environment

❒ To inculcate in them the desire to nurture and preserve the Environment

❒ To help them understand their role in protecting environment/environment conservation

In the initial stages the project was helmed by Dr. John Menachery, Mrs. Rekha Dandekar, Dr. Ajit Kumar, Dr. Vaishali Bezalwar Ms. Shanta Narsimhan who did pioneering work. At present the Convener of the Board of CAFE is Dr. Nandita Mane.

Major Activity:

Students are encouraged to participate in awareness campaigns to prevent pollution of water bodies during immersion of Ganesh idols. The students assist the NMC staff in collecting Nirmalya. Every year the Board of CAFE organizes a workshop to orient students on their role in helping NMC to protect water bodies during Ganpati Visarjan.

Other Activities initiated by CAFE

On 26th February 2010, a training workshop titled “LEAD-er: Lead Educator Capacity Building in Organizing Lead Awareness Programmes”, was held in collaboration with National Referral Centre for Lead Poisoning in India, Bangalore, and The Quality Council of India, New Delhi. The workshop focused on the impact of lead poisoning on human health. It was inaugurated by Dr. John Menachery, Professor-Principal along with other dignitaries. Ms. Rekha Dandekar, Associate Professor, directed the workshop.

A Workshop on Waste Management Awareness Campaign in collaboration with Varadaan was organised on 20/12/2016 with the objective of sensitizing students on the importance of waste management and its connection with cleanliness and climate change.

On July 23 2017 the students of CAFE and I Clean Nagpur, a voluntary organisation (working since 2014 with an aim of working towards a clean & beautiful Nagpur) took up the cleaning & painting the compound wall of Matru Sewa Sangh’s Institute of Social Work, Bajaj Nagar. About 30 volunteers worked tirelessly to clean the garbage & to decorate the walls with Warli painting. A group of 20 girls belonging to Matru Sewa Sangh’s NSS team, joined the team in beautifying the wall. The team also received the help of NMC & Kanak Resources who sent their safai karmacharis to pick up the garbage. The local residents were also very supportive & encouraging.

With a view to enhance awareness of the students on environment related issue, the Board of CAFE organized a College Level Workshop on “Impact of Concretisation of Roads on Urban Environment of Nagpur” on Tuesday 12th March 2019. Dr Supantha Bhattacharya, (Associate Professor, Hislop College, Nagpur) was the resource person of the Workshop.

The Institute has been involved in school social work, primarily in Municipal Schools, in the past. It has now given a formal shape to this activity. Intervention in learning disabilities, discontinuation of schooling, life skill education, social service projects, including environment projects, in schools and similar other forms of interventions are being planned. Ms Rekha Dandekar, Ms Monica Taide, Ms Jyoti Motghare, Dr Prajakta Tanksale, and Ms Anuradha Joshi were associated with the School Social Work project. Presently Dr. Keshav Walke, Officiating Principal is the Director of the Project and Dr Jyoti Niswade, Associate Professor is the Convener.

The Institute launched a new field action project called “Lifeline – Centre for Promoting Organ Donation” on the occasion of Independence Day on 15th August 2015. Lifeline-CDOP will strive for creating awareness about organ donation and its acceptance in Nagpur. Dr Ravi Wankhede, well known organ donor of Nagpur was the Chief Guest on the occasion. Dr Wankhede provided technical details on organ donation to around 250 students and urged them to work as ambassadors of organ donation. He congratulated the Institute for launching the new field action project.

Dr John Menachery, who has conceptualized Lifeline-CDOP made introductory remarks. He said that the Institute through its students and faculty plans to give a boost to organ donation activities in Nagpur in collaboration with the MOHAN Foundation, Chennai. He said through a series of well-planned activities and interventions Lifeline-CDOP aims at increasing the number of citizens who are willing to pledge their organs. On the occasion, about 150 students and staff pledged their organs and were given organ donor cards. Dr Keshav Walke is the Honorary Director of Lifeline-CDOP. Citizens can contact the Institute located at Bajaj Nagar for registering their names as organ donors.

The Matru Sewa Sangh Institute of Social Work has a history of establishing Field Action Projects. Keeping this tradition alive, the Institute established a new Field Action Project (FAP) named Samvedana - Centre for Assistance to Divyangjan in the Year 2018. The basic aim of this FAP is to enhance the awareness and sensitivity of students of social work about people with disabilities (Divyangjan) and ways and means to mitigate their issues.

Objectives:

1. To organize such activities for students as well as members of the general public to create awareness and sensitivity about people with disabilities (Divyangjan).
2. To initiate steps to create and update data base of people with disabilities (Divyangjan) by undertaking surveys in different parts of Nagpur, primarily in areas where marginalized sections of the populations are residing.
3. To take steps to link people with disabilities (Divyangjan) with such agencies, both governmental and non-governmental, to mitigate their issues.
4. To take special steps to ensure that children among people with disabilities (Divyangjan) have access to education.
5. To undertake research in the area of people with disabilities.

Governance:

This FAP will be governed by the Board of Samvedana - Centre for Assistance to Divyangjan, which will be constituted for each academic year. The Principal who will be the Director of the FAP will be the Chairperson of the Board. One Faculty Member shall function as the Convener. There shall be one student representative in the Board, who will be preferably a person with disability (Divyangjan). The Board shall meet at least twice during each academic year.

United Nations General Assembly designated 2021 as The International Year of “Fruits and Vegetables” (IYFV) and Government of India is running “ National Nutritional Mission” since 2018 and aimed at Malnutrition Free India by 2022. In response to the United Nations and Government of India campaign Matru Sewa Sangh Institute of Social Work Nagpur has launched “Herbal/Medicinal Garden” in its own campus at Bajajnagar. Due to lack of nutritional food and immunity COVID-19 has spread fast in 2020. With aim at creating awareness about Nutrition and traditional medicines among the masses through Social Work Students, Institute has initiated Garden development activity and expect to be replicated the Model by other Institutions. Medicinal plants like Anacyclus pyrethrum, Centella Asiatica, Stevia rebaudiana, Gymnema sylvestre, Rauvofia serpentine, Mimosa Pudica, Withania somnifera, Coleus forskohlii, Acorus calamus, Boerhavia diffusa useful in Anti-Cancers, Stress reliever, liver cleanser Hepatitis, Prostate insomnia, Skin disease, Toothache , Antiviral, Anti-bacterial, Epilepsy, improve testosterone, Natural low-calorie sweetener, High BP, Obesity Anti-oxidant Antiseptic, effective in excessive bleeding during menstruation, Diarrhoea, Develop Immune system, Improve Red and White cells, stress reliever, increase fertility, Hypertension, Heart Diseases, Respiratory Disorder, Abdominal colic, Gastritis, Heart Diseases, Respiratory Disorder, Abdominal colic etc. We aim at giving importance to the traditional knowledge about plants which could remain with people aged 65 and above. Herbals and medicinal produces shall be distributed for the benefit of inmates in Panchavati Aged Home and Residential School for Orthopaedic Children run by Matru Sewa Sangh. There has been a gap in use of native/local vegetables and fruits due to change in food culture that is inclined towards fast food. Traditional food and recipies’ had deeply imbedded nutrition science which was based on seasons and nutrients. Thus, our group aims is to collect such information and reintroduce our new generation with the benefits of native plants in food. We aim at bridging the gap in native nutrition culture. In future Nursery of the Herbal and Medicinal plants shall be developed in the College Campus and shall be supporting other institutes interested in the same kind of projects. Shri Abhijit Deshmukh Secretary, Nagpur District Legal Services Authority Inaugurated the Garden on 16th February 2021. Chief Guest Shri Deshmukh expressed that such garden can be developed in the District Court Campus also. Chairperson of the programme Secretary Matru Sewa Sangh Dr Lata Deshmukh appreciated the work initiated by college Principal and wish to implement same activity in other premises of the Matru Sewa Sangh. Dr Sameer Deshpande, Director, Econsus Foundation, Mr Arshad Tanveer Khan (Director, International Skill Development Society) and Mr. Sanjay Sinha from Bharti Herbs supported the events with technical guidance. Officiating Principal Dr Keshav Walke, representatives of CAFE, Herald D’Souza from ICID were prominently present. Students from BSW III class and staff at MSS Institute of Social Work worked hard for the success of the programme.

1. Social Work Intervention for Juvenile Justice (SWIJJ) (2008-2012)
2. GFATM (Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria) SAKSHAM Project (2009-2013)

a. Medical Social Service Centre at the Government Medical College & Hospital, Nagpur.
b. Foundling Home and Adoption Centre at the Government Medical College & Hospital, Nagpur.
c. Working Women’s Hostel at the MSSISW premises, Bajaj Nagar, Nagpur.
d. Family Counselling Centre at MSSISW premises, Bajaj Nagar.